It is as if it started with the tragic death of Philip Seymour Hoffman. A renowned and talented actor, he succumbed to the insurmountable call of his demon — heroin. There have been endless heroin overdoses all over the country since then. At least 185 people have died in Massachusetts in the past four months; over 70 people in Rhode Island.

It is as if it started with the tragic death of Philip Seymour Hoffman. A renowned and talented actor, he succumbed to the insurmountable call of his demon — heroin. There have been endless heroin overdoses all over the country since then. At least 185 people have died in Massachusetts in the past four months; over 70 people in Rhode Island.

Their names have not necessarily been on the front pages, but each of them is someone’s child, sibling, grandchild, spouse, or parent and most likely under the age of 40. They may or may not have had a “normal” childhood, may or may not be well educated, may or may not be employed, and may or may not be close to their families.

But most likely, they all have a genetic propensity to addiction, do not fear trying things that scare most of us, and have a personality which makes them want to devour the world. But, of course, it is not a new problem.

My son, Jonathan Waxler, was one of these people. He grew up in a “normal” household with two supportive parents, a younger brother who adored him, got a bachelor’s degree at college in four years and then a master’s degree. He had a good job, but in 1994 we got a call that Jonathan was addicted to heroin. We had no idea. A year later, we got the call from the coroner in San Francisco: Jonathan had died of a heroin overdose. He had been in treatment for most of that year. He would have been 45 this year.

Heroin use is an epidemic that we need to pay attention to. If you think that it cannot touch your family, think again. If it is not in your immediate family, it might be affecting a friend, relative or co-worker. When a loved one is addicted to heroin, the whole family is addicted to it. Parents spend most of their time thinking about how to help the child. Feeling shame or guilt, always sad, they often pull away from friends.

Parents worry about “enabling” but are tortured by the possibility that their child might be homeless, might even die. A parent will question, “Should I buy my son a coat so he won’t freeze even though he might sell it and buy heroin?”

Recently, I went to a meeting of the organization Learn to Cope, a support group for parents and family struggling with a loved one addicted to drugs. It is a place where parents can feel safe talking about their child and where they can get a lot of information about where to seek help.

Watching the parents walk into the room for the meeting, I thought that if someone did not know what the meeting was about, they might think that this was a PTA meeting or a similar civic gathering. The stereotypical picture about heroin users and their families is absolutely wrong. The real picture includes all of us.

Page 2 of 2 - All in all, it was a sad evening for me because I realized how little we have accomplished since Jonathan’s death. Heroin has become cheaper, more powerful, more dangerous and more available. But what have we done to stem this terrible tide? What can we do?

I certainly do not have the answer. Treatment helps to keep people safe but most treatment lasts less than a month. About 90 percent of people relapse after leaving treatment. Recovering heroin addicts will tell you that they are in a constant battle with their brain which tells them to try “just one more time.”

The chase for the high makes people lose their families, their children, their jobs and their lives. But knowing this, many continue to use. Brain and genetic research could help. Research shows that the brain of an addict is different from a normal brain and with continued research, maybe we can make some headway there.

All of us must pay attention. We are concerned about diabetes and cancer and many, many other diseases. But addiction is also a disease and until we look at it this way, the problem will be pushed aside. Addicts are looked at as bad people, druggies and people without any self-control, but they are really just human beings with flaws like all of us.

Addiction is in the news now, but how long will that last? All of us should be horrified, shouting out to our politicians: Our young people are dying and something must be done. If money for research is the answer, then appropriate it. And stop thinking that it can’t happen to you. It can.

Linda Waxler, of Dartmouth, is a retired Dartmouth High School math teacher and the co-author with her husband, Robert Waxler, of “Losing Jonathan,” a book about the struggle with their son’s heroin addiction and his death from overdose.